AdWords Display Network Engagement Campaigns

Display Network Engagement Campaigns allow advertisers to serve ads that look for direct engagement.  These interactive rich media ads can be served across the Display Network with some laser guided targeting including affinity categories.

Who should use Display Network Engagement Campaigns?

Advertisers who want to engage with their audience online and send a brand message through engaging and interactive rich media.

How do people engage with the ads?

They interact with two main formats, Video Lightbox and Hover-to-Play.  Video Lightbox ads starts as a standard display ad which expands on a two second hover into a larger canvas where people can interact with your ads.  The second format is Hover-to-Play, a two second mouse hover starts the video.  On mobile devices a tap is required to engage.

How I measure performance?

Clicks = Engagement, CTR=Engagement Rate, Avg CPC=Avg Cost per Engagement.  Click throughs to landing pages are reported in Free Clicks (not sure if that is so helpful, especially if an advertiser tends to get other free clicks).

What is the cost?

You pay when people engage with your ads.

How do I build an Engagement Campaign?

Start with creating a new Display Network Only Campaign and select Engagement.

Then move into the targeting process.  The usual targeting options apply including affinity categories.  Narrow your targeting features down further with keyword, topic, placements, age and gender.

Then move on to creating your ads using an ad builder where you setup a starting image, video and ending image.  Video ads can be uploaded from your YouTube account.

I am excited about how easy it is to get this up and running.  This is a nice addition to the AdWords User Interface.